Archive for November, 2008

The coconut which is a kind of plam is a very useful tree. Its trunk raises straight up, some times as high as fifty feets. Its cadjans are spreaded far as in a circle like a crown of a king. The average length of a cadjan is about twenty feets.It grows well only in hot countries, and does best on a sandy shore near the sea. They can be seen, grown very well on the coral islands in the Pacific Ocean .Its fruit are the coconut. There is a white kernel covered with a hard shell and the outer is covered with a husk.

The coconut plam is the most useful tree in the world. The every part of this is used for many purposes. Mostly the coconut is important in every aspect. When the shell is broken; the hollow inside contains a tasty liquid, which is a refreshing and wholesome drink. The white kernel can be eaten as a food and is used for flavouring cakes and puddings. In the pacific island, a great trade is carried on “coppera” which is the dried kernel of coconuts. This contains much coconut oil, which is used largely in making candles and soap. From the strong brown fiber that covers the hard shell of the nut, is manufactured “coir”, which is made into rugs, ropes etc. The shell is used as a cup or carved into an ornament.

From the sap or juice of the tree is made “toddy, a pleasant drink when taken fresh, and one that makes men drunk when it is left to stand for a while. Also a wine called plam wine, is made from it , and a kind of vinegar when boiled and treated in a special way , the juice gives kind of sweet sugar, called “jiggery.”
The leaves are used for making roof of house. And woven into mats and basket. And finally, the wood is used for building and other purposes.

Giant animals like elephants can be regarded as an asset to a country. But there is a limited number of elephants in our forest reserves today. Wild elephants are faced with the dangerous threat of extinction. This situation has been arisen due to several reasons.
During the past few decades a large forest cover was cleared for development purposes, farming and human settlement. Under this situation elephants lost their natural habitat. As a result of this elephants resorted to raiding plantations for food, sometimes causing human deaths. According to the statistics of the Wild Life conservation department, nearly 75 – 100 elephants are killed in our country every year. Also nearly 25 – 35 people are killed by elephants every year. This is a very sad state of affairs.
The government should find ways and means to solve this man – elephant conflict. Particularly, during the drought season elephants rampage in village in search of water. Sometimes they damage house too. When the cultivations and houses are damaged by wild elephants, farmers compel to kill elephants. Some people kill elephants for their valuable tusks. Even their hair and skin are used to produce various items.
The wild life department alone cannot rescue elephants from danger. All the voluntary organizations should extend their co – operation towards the department to make their effort a success. Although the government has passed laws to stop hunters from killing wild elephants, they do not seen to have been effective.
When we go through the newspapers, we can see reports on killing of wild elephants in somewhere in Sri Lanka almost everyday. It is a heart rending scene to see the pictures of dead elephants published in them.
What can we do to stop this destruction? The government should take steps to prevent people from encroaching into areas where elephants live in large numbers. These areas have to be protected and stern should be taken against those who hunt elephants. As citizens of Sri Lanka we too should assist the government in this connection. Re – a forestation schemes should be introduced to ensure that they have enough foot and water. More elephant orphanages should be set up in such reserves to enable the elephants to live in security. Another way to preserve elephants in the country is to create more public awareness of their fate through the print and Electronic media.
Most of the tourists, both local and foreign are attracted by our sanctuaries where there are herds of wild elephants. It is the bounden duty of everyone to protect these animals.
Statistics of the Department of wild life reveal that the total number of wild elephants in Sri Lanka today is between 3 000 and 3 500. Statistics also reveal that the elephant extinct rate per week is three together with one human demise. Let’s protect our wild elephants.

Dr. Ajith pasqual is acknowledging the members of Oasisdamahana foundation evillage

A senior lecturer, university of Moratuwa On information technology Dr Ajith Pasqual and mr. Pushpitha jayasekara ICT coordinator of the secondary educational modernization project participated for a day workshop on 29th October in 2008 (at oasisdamahana foundation) as the resources donators. Here firstly the work done by members of oasisdamahana foundation was assessed. Then Dr.ajith pasqual gave a lecture on aspects of the evillage and the usage of the internet.

Dr.mr.Ajith Pasqual is with members of the Oasisdamahana foundation.

For the development of an area with the performances through e village are the education, health, society and economy. He remembered the students that the above things, could be thrive by using ICT. As well as, he remembered further about the alive donates. He said that it is better and useful if we use “schoolnet Sri Lanka”. Dr. Ajith Pasqual showed about the facilities which will be issued to the users through this, by addressing the students in Ratnapura, Balangoda, Damahana Maha Vidyalaya, that gentleman showed the way of using the computer and the internet for their studies through researchers.
Mr. Pushpitha jayasekara ICT coordinator of the secondary educational modernization project also participated to the workshop.